29 Quotes by Mary Gordon

I believe that if your primary motivation in life is to be moral, you don't become an artist.

'Catholic writer' seems like you have an agenda of evangelization, as if you were somehow influenced in your choice of perspective by dogma or canon law. That has nothing to do with me. I don't have a lot in common with other 'Catholic' writers.

I love dancing; I adore salsa dancing and wish I could be in a Broadway chorus.

I would trade any writerly success if it would mean my children would be happy.

My weakness is 'American Idol.' My husband thinks it's ridiculous. But I am so inspired by those young people who are singing their guts out.

My mother really loved me. And one of the gifts that I have been given is that I have never thought for one second of my life that I was not greatly beloved.

I think coldness is chic among writers, and particularly ironic coldness. What is absolutely not allowable is sadness. People will do anything rather than to acknowledge that they are sad.

I wasn't thinking about my pension plan until about two years ago. When I was in my twenties, the idea that you'd be thinking of taking a job based on its health-care policy was completely foreign. But these days young people are thinking about these things.

We all of us deserve happiness or none of us does.